Conveyer



May 20, 1930.

L.. YEoMANs CONVEYER Filed Oct. 14, 1929 i im `. l vFig. 2 is a plan view.

Patented May 20, 1930` UNITED sire friasg PATENT OFFICE LUCIENgI, YEOMANs, OF CHICAGO, iLLrivois, iissienonV 'ro LUoInir I. irnoivrii1-rs,vrir` 4oonroniifrnn, or CHICAGO, amino-is, A' conronn'rion or ILLINOIS convnxnn l 'iippinaiiiimYfuni loctober i4, ieee. semaine. 399,456.

This invention relates more particularly to a conveyor which is adapted to provide a long path of travel for articles being processed, with a maximum of capacity and a minimum of complicationof.mechanism and construeV` tion expense. i i

The usual method of cooking, pasteurizing Or sterilizing food and liquids in containers consists vin Y providing a rectangular tank f adapted to be partially filled with hot water,

and in passing containers through the tank by means of an endless double-stranded chain conveyer from which are suspended perforated baskets. The conveyer is" guided to move through a more or less sinuous path. Such a conveyer is necessarily longer than the path through which the packages are to be moved, and consequent-ly is expensive to construct and operate and Occupiesmuch space outside the processing tank. It is customary to tilt the baskets to discharge the containers, hence labor must be expended in order Vto ar?- raiige the containers in orderly manner for the following operation.

The present invention aimsto obviate the necessity of using a long iiexible articlesupporting conveyer, of providing means for f guiding such aconveyerrto 'move through a sinuous path, and of supplying powerfor thus moving the supporting element. y In'the present embodiment of the invention, this fobject has beeen attained by providing "a fixed helical guideway for the articles to be treated, together with simple, inexpensive mechanism for pushing the articles along said guideway or for restraining movement due to the action of gravity. f i f In the accompanying drawings, Y, Figure 1 is a verticalcentral sectional view ofan apparatus embodying the features of myinvention.

'Boei' of the views are somewhat diagrammatic.

"The einbodimentwhich has beenicliosenfor illustration herein is especiallyadapte'd for the drying of paint-on toy blocks or cubes 4 of wood` Ihile the blocks may be made to travel either up or down, they are herein shown as lbeing elevated. The apparatus f comprises va' cylindrical'structure 1 which` encloses a helical track 2. The lower end of thek helical track mergesjin the ytangential track portion 3, the upper end of the helical track being likewise continued in the straight Vcle-s along the guide groove 5 comprises 'a central vertical shaft 6to which power may be supplied by any preferred'means, as, for example, a pulley 7. The shaft 6 carries one or more 'pairs of4 arms. Herein are shown two `diainetrically opposite pairsi-of arms, each pair comprising an upper arm 8 and a lower arm 9. Each pair of arms supports sprocket wheels 10 that carry a chain belt l1. Each belt carries a series of `pusher ifingers 12, each of which is adapted to lie' in the space between two adjacent spires of the track 2 and is of suflicient lengthto extend across ythe l three series of articles A.

In the rotation of the shaft 6 in the clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, those of :the fingers l2 which extend .into the spaces becles upwardly, the chain, belt 11f is caused to move in the direction indicated by the arrows in F ig. 1, thus continually bringing the' `pusher fingers into position `to eiigagethe 'upper side ofthe lowest spire. l

In Order to resist the pressure of the articles vbeingpropelled, I provide suitable means, as, Y for example, a finger 13 fixed to each' of the pusher fingers 12 and extending at rightan-v gles thereto, together with means revolving 'with thelarins 8 and 9 guiding Asaidiingers y 19 .to travelvertically withrespect .to the re- `volving structure. YIntheforin herein shown,

the fingers plmoveupwardly througliachann'eled guide 14C extending fromf`a'p 'oint` adjacenttheflower sprocket wheel to afpointadj acent the upper sprocket wheel. l

For certain uses, as, for example, for drying or for vapor or gas processing, an apparatus embodying the present invention may have a shell surrounding the helical track, as herein shown, and another shell within the helical track, the latter shell rotating with the revolving propulsion means. In Fig. 2, I have shown a shell 15 fixed to the arms 8 and 9 and 'of such diameter as to substantially till the space within the helical track. As indicated in Fig. 2, the shell 15 has two diametrically opposite vertical channels 16 within which the chains 11 and fingers 12 and 13 operate. The channeled guides 14 are herein shown as carried by the shell 15.

It will be seen that an apparatus such as that herein described is adapted to propel articles through a long path and at the same time to raise or lower the articles, as desired. In prior-art eonveyers which provided a long path, the propelling and supporting functions were performed by one and the same means, as, for example, a chain or plurality of parallel chains, but it will be observed that I have separated the supporting function from the propelling function and have provided relatively inexpensive stationary means forV supporting articles during their travel and a very simple means for performing the propelling function. Vhereas in prior longpath conveyers the propelling means has extended throughout the length of travel and back to the starting point, the propelling means herein shown is of such a nature that it is brought repeatedly into operation, thus reducing the amount of chain required to a very small fraction of that which would otherwise be needed. j

The form of conveyer herein disclosed is well adapted for passing work through a vacuum processing' chamber, as the mechanism may be enclosed within the chamber, the

pusher fingers being passed rin, and out of the entrance and exit port-ions of the helical track through air-lock devices to preserve the vacuum. l

It will be understood that, where conditions require. two or more conveyers 'of the type herein shown may be connected in series, one conveyer lowering the work and another serving as an elevator.

As will be evident, the present type of conveyer delivers the work in orderly fashion, thus saving labor at the discharge end of the apparatus.

The stationary supportingportion of the conveyer not being subject to intermittent immersion and drying, there is less corrosion in many7 eases than with a traveling support.

Vvlhle I have herein shown al cylindrical env closing structure 1 which constitutes a tank, it will be understood that the conveyer may be enclosed in a tank of other form.

In the ease of an elevator, as herein shown, the pusher fingers 12 slide along the upper surface of the track, whereas in an apparatus serving to lower work the fingers would slide along the lower side of the track.

As herein shown, the chain 11 is caused to move about its supporting sprocket wheels by the reaction of the fingers 12 against the track, but if desired, the chain might be driven by other means.

Although I have shown the work as sliding in direct contact with the helical track, it will be obvious that it might be supported in pans or the equivalent.

In the following claims the term chain has been used to denote any equivalent ieXible element.

I claim as my invention:

1. A conveyer comprising a stationary helical support and propelling means comprising an endless series of members arranged to revolve within the supporting structure as a unit and simultaneously travel in a path parallel to the axis of the helical support.

v2. A conveyer comprising a helical support, a structure arranged within and axially of said support, an endless chain supported by said structure to travel parallel with the axis of the helical support and adjacent to the inner circumference of the latter, and a series of members on said chain, each member being adapted to propel articles conveyed along the spires of said helical support, and means to cause relative rotation between the helical support and said structure.

3. A conveyer comprising a stationary helical support, a structure arranged to revolve within and axially of said support, an endless chain supported by said structure to travel parallel with the axis of the helical support and adjacent to the inner circumference of the latter, and a series of members on said chain, each member being adapted to extend into the space between two adjacent 'spires of said helical support and propel articles conveyed, and means to revolve said structure.

4. A conveyer comprising a stationary helica l support, a structure arranged to revolve within and axially of said support, an endless chain supported by said structure to travel parallel with the axis of the helical support and adjacent to t-he inner circumference of the latter, and a series of members on said chain, each member being adapted to extend into the space between two adjacent spires of said helical support and bear against said support and propel articles conveyed, and means to revolve said structure thereby causing the fingers to move along the helical support.

5. The combination of a cylindrical tank, a conveyer comprising a stationary helical support, a structure arranged to revolve within and axially of said support, an endiess chain lsupported by said structure to travel parallel with the axis of the helical support and adjacent to the inner circumference of the latter, and a series of members on said chain, each member being adapted to extend into the space between ltwo adjacent spires of said helical support and propel articles conveyed, a cylindrical shell within said helical support and connected to rotate'withsaid structure, and means to revolve said structure, Y Y thereby causing the fingers to move along the helical support. Y

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto afv iXed my signature.

LUCIEN I. YEOMANS. 

